Manassas Park approves peer list for compensation study; consultants advise larger sample to ensure matches

Evergreen Solutions presented its proposed list of comparable jurisdictions and methodology for a classification and compensation market survey during the June 16 meeting and received council approval to proceed with data collection.

Project manager Michael Shroy explained why a larger peer sample improves the survey’s ability to generate usable job matches and defensible market averages. He described a minimum match threshold (five matches per job for reportability), an ideal target (seven to nine matches per job), and the firm’s plan to adjust for cost‑of‑living differences across jurisdictions. "By having a larger salary frame of at least 12 to 15 peers ... that allows you some cushion," Shroy said, adding that the team expects roughly 50–60% job overlap with any single peer.

Council members voiced two consistent themes: (1) they want the study to include jurisdictions the city actually competes with for employees; and (2) they asked Evergreen to flag or allow exclusion of high‑cost outliers such as jurisdictions with much higher per‑capita incomes so the city’s leadership can decide which peers to weight in final recommendations. Several members noted that approval of the peer list to collect data does not commit the city to implementing subsequent pay adjustments.

Next steps: Evergreen will begin the market survey upon receiving the approved peer list. Staff and the consultant estimated an initial draft of market results could take roughly six weeks, after which the firm will produce more detailed findings and cost‑impact modeling to inform council decisions about compensation policy.